Today is the vyasa-puja, appearance day, of Nitya-lila pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja, who was the secretary of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, and the spiritual guide of all sadhakas. The Gosvamis were nirapeksa, and helpful to everyone.
Mahaprabhu said to the Gosvamis:
toma sama 'nirapeksa' nahi mora gane 'nirapeksa' nahile 'dharma' na yaya raksane
Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 3.24
[You are the most neutral among My associates. This is very good, for without being neutral one cannot protect religious principles.] There is no limit to the help the Gosvamis offer. They helped in the past, they help now, and they will help in the future. Anyone who likes can receive everything from them. It is not that only the son can get something from his father. The siksa-guru helps all conditioned souls. He is called a parakiya guru. The parakiya or siksa-guru is helpful for everyone, no matter who they are, whose disciples they are, or wherever they are from. They have no jealousy. The siksa gurus have no party or group. They have blood relation with no one. They are eternally related with God. Under guidance of the Vraja-devis, they serve Srimati Radharani. They take only Her instructions and help everyone. Krsna's followers are in many groups. Radharani's followers are also in various groups, but they all follow Radharani's footsteps and instructions. The diksa gurus are generally in Krsna's group, and they follow their own yutha, or group leaders. guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane guru-rupe krsna krpa karena bhakta-gane Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 1.45 [According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees.]siksa-guruke ta' jani krsnera svarupa antaryami, bhakta-srestha,-ei dui rupa
Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.47
[One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord.] Diksa-guru is Krsna's rupa, and siksa-guru is Krsna's svarupa. Today, I remember this spiritual master's help. I will try to describe how he was helpful in his lifetime, and how he is still helpful now. Pure devotees of the Lord are transcendental personalities. They mercifully descend to this world along with other eternal associates of the spiritual world. The pure devotees serve and have relation with God; they carry God in their heart. Because of their relationship with God, pure devotees attract other conditioned souls who have forgotten their connection to God. Anywhere the pure Vaisnavas appear or travel becomes holy. Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja's father was Sriyuta Asutosa kumara Ghosa and his mother Sriyuta Katyayani-devi. His family was wealthy and qualified landowners in West Bengal. They had over 30 acres of land, a large garden, a house in Kolkata, another house in the village, and a big factory. But there was one problem. They had no children. They were generous and used to regularly arrange large amounts of food to be given to beggars. They would also provide some money and cloth to many people in need. Their bloodline was of a lineage of cowherds, but they were highly respected in the village. Srila Maharaja's family, among a few others, was famous, and a recommended host for sadhus coming from the North. It was a common rule that those who were rich, although most were not vegetarian, reserved an area of their home, usually in the garden, with shelter and completely pure, vegetarian facility for sadhus to come stay as guests and cook for themselves. Sadhus that came from Vrndavana to Navadvipa, or were traveling to Ganga Sagara or Jagannatha Puri, and passed through that town, would be advised to stay at their home. It is the nature of a sadhu to not stay in one place. They are parivrajaka, detached pilgrims. They know that if they stay in one place, there is the danger of developing moha, and hence being distracted from their bhajana. Therefore, they move from place to place visiting the holy places and sadhus. Everywhere they go they inspire people to follow bhakti, and thus give their blessings to the people of the world. Without performing austerities, and trying to advance in spiritual life, people will become inanimate objects, like stones or trees. Knowing this, with the desire to help all conditioned souls, the sadhus never stay in one place. Once, some brahmanas and sadhus from Varsana came as guests to the home of Srila Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja's parents, Sriyuta Asutosa kumara Ghosa and Katyayani Devi. Asutosa kumara Ghosa arranged capati flour, rice, potatoes, milk, and many things for the sadhus. The sadhus cooked and offered bhoga. These brahmanas and sadhus that had come were in the Nimbarka sampradaya and were worshipers of Radharani. They performed their worship and did kirtana of Srimati Radharani's names. Maharaja's father, grandfather and other family members came and were given Radharani's prasada, nirmalya, and caranamrta. They were very happy to distribute these things. Vrajavasis are not happy without sweets. Wherever they go, there must be barfi, laddus, ksira, and so forth. This is there nature. Normally in Bengal they make ksira with one liter of milk and one kilogram of rice. But how do the Vrajavasis cook? They put only a handful of rice in one liter of milk. They then cook the milk down until it is thick and creamy. Radharani's cooks in Varsana are especially expert. These guests made capattis, puris, halava, laddus, and many other preparations. They were so happy. This house had so much facility. They cooked everything with pure cow's ghee. Why was there so much ghee? Rich tamasika people do not like ghee, milk, or panir. They like to eat dead bodies. They eat the dead bodies of animals and other tamasika and rajasika things. The brahmanas and sadhus told them to take prasadam and that afterwards there would be kirtana. These guests stayed for three days and when the time came for them to depart, Maharaja's grandfather said to them, "My family has no children. You say that your Radharani is even greater than Durga, Candi, and Kali. How can we understand that this is true? Durga and Siva are worshiped in vast temples, and many animals are offered in sacrifice to Devi. The bodies of the sacrificed animals are cooked and then glorified as Devi's prasadam. You, however, do not offer animals. You offer only milk. How much power does milk have?" The brahmanas and sadhus asked, "You offer so many animals, but your Devi has not given you any children. Why? You cut Devi's children and try to offer them to her. If you were to have any child, would you cut him and offer him to Devi also?" sadhus are fearless and neutral. They strongly condemned the offering and eating of animals. They described the places in Bhagavatam where the transcendentalists revealed the reactions in store for one who has jealousy and slays another creature to fill his belly. "As punishment for your sins," the sadhus said, "You will have no heir." The family was upset. They requested the departing sadhus to give their blessings once more. "Yes," the sadhus said, "Stop your tamasika worship of Durga and Kali and just worship Radharani." They invited them to visit the temple in Varsana and left. Sometime later, Srila Maharaja's grandfather went to Varsana with much wealth. He gave many donations such as ghee, sugar, and flour for the service of Radharani and promised to do this yearly. He went to Vrndavana and did some service there also. There too, he pledged to donate for the service performed throughout the year. Maharaja's grandfather lamented, "In my family there are no grandchildren." One day he was offered some advice in Varsana. A sadhu said, "Make a promise to Srimati Radhika that if your family is to ever have a child you will offer the first one directly to Her." When people have problems, they make many promises. After their problems are solved, they forget these promises. This is the nature of worldly people. They cry, "Protect me! Save me! I am unfortunate!" But when a solution comes then they forget all this. Maharaja's grandfather prayed to Radharani, "May a son be born to my family. If You mercifully give us a son, we will offer him in Your service." After this, he returned home. Some months later, by the mercy of Radharani, a male child was born to his son. Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja appeared on the 31st of January 1916. He was a large and beautiful baby. His grandfather gave him the name Radhika Carana. All the neighboring families were happy to see the charming baby boy. He was healthy and strong like Bhima. In time more children were born but none where as brilliant and healthy as he was. His family was overjoyed, but they forgot the promises they had made. They did not continue the donations to the temples in Vraja. As a child, Srila Maharaja was strong and restless. He would fight and wrestle with other children, and was very naughty. His family was very happy that a son had been born to them, and his naughtiness made them even happier. Srila Maharaja started his education and was a brilliant student. In the midst of his siblings, who differed in both appearance and nature, Srila Maharaja stood out like a lotus in murky water because of his saintly qualities. Some were doubtful that he was really of the same family at all. In school, there was a pandita teacher who taught Sanskrit. He had a shaved head, big sikha, and wore tripundra tilaka, three horizontal lines across the forehead, symbolizing him to be an adherent of the mayavadi School. Srila Maharaja was a school monitor, but he never went to Sanskrit class, nor did he encourage the other boys to. None of the students were going, so the pandita complained to the headmaster, "Sir, this Radhika Carana does not come to my class, and he discourages the other boys to come as well. What shall I do? None of the boys are coming to my class. I think I will resign and leave this place." "No, no," the headmaster said. "I will speak to Radhika Carana." He asked Maharaja, "Radhika Carana, why aren't you going to Sanskrit class?" Radhika Carana replied, "I don't know why this person is always shouting, 'hum, kum, cum, pum_' No one understands him. Everyone knows English, Bengali, and other languages, but no one can understand that tripundra dhari's Sanskrit." The headmaster strongly ordered Radhika Carana and the other boys to go to Sanskrit class from then on. The next day, Radhika Carana shaved his head and left a big sikha. He wore tripundra tilaka and sat at the first table of the class. He had told the other boys also to come with shaved heads and to shake their sikhas, whirling them around their heads, while they spoke to the teacher. He instructed them to all put on tripundra tilaka and to tease the teacher by calling out to him, "O Panditaji! O Panditaji!" When the Sanskrit teacher arrived at the classroom he immediately noticed that there were many students and even Radhika Carana was present there. They called out, "O Panditaji, O Panditaji." "Very nice," thought the Sanskrit teacher. The boys teased the Panditaji, saying, "Panditaji, we have learned your Sanskrit-hum, kum, cum, dum, mum?" The Pandita laughed at the ridicule, and went to complain to the headmaster. The headmaster came to the classroom and also laughed to see the student's appearance. He said to Radhika Carana, "You are a very naughty boy." Radhika Carana did not answer. He was a very good student and attended all the classes nicely. But whenever he saw that teacher with the tripundra tilaka, he was sure to tease him. A while later, Narottamananda Prabhu, who later became Bhakti Kamala Madhusudana Maharaja, and other members of the Gaudiya-matha, came to Radhika Carana's village. It was just before Navadvipa-dhama parikrama. The gaudiya sadhus heard about Radhika Carana's family and how they were owners of a factory and were very powerful. The gaudiya bhaktas came to stay at that garden house of Radhika Carana's home. In the morning, the devotees did nagara sankirtana and that evening, Radhika Carana came with his student friends to speak with Narottamananda Prabhu. Narottamananda Prabhu was a great scholar. Narottamananda Prabhu spoke powerful hari-katha to them, which lasted late into the night. Radhika Carana first challenged Narottamananda Prabhu, saying, "What is the difference between you and other sadhus? There are so many sadhus that come. The only business of sadhus is to collect money from here and there from the able members of society. You sadhus are like vultures, who go where there are dead bodies, thinking they can get money by being kirtaniyas during processions for the deceased. At least the Rama Krsna Mission supports the public, and arranges for their welfare." Narottamananda Prabhu said, "The Rama Krsna Mission only focuses on the body and its maintenance, but we are solely interested in the welfare and progress of the soul. The Rama Krsna Mission externally make a show of helping people, but they only make people more and more materially diseased. But the help we offer gives eternal benefit, establishing one in his spiritual form in the supremely blissful reality." "What is your evidence?" Radhika Carana asked. Narottamananda Prabhu described Vaisnava tattva, and how the gaudiya sadhus are connected to svarupa-sakti. He described that the gaudiya Vaisnavas connection to svarupa-sakti empowers them to be able to transform the conditioned souls from their miserable state in material existence to their true nature as loving servants of God. Later, after being convinced by many hours of discussion, Radhika Carana asked, "Can you show me someone who has this power to transform someone?" "Come to Navadvipa-dhama," Srila Narottamananda Prabhu said, "Where Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, the acarya of our Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, is present. He is a perfected being, and has the power to transform the whole world." Radhika Carana listened until 11 p.m. After hari-katha, they all had prasada with Narottamananda Prabhu. The next day, Radhika Carana and his friends accompanied Narottamananda Prabhu and the devotees on nagara sankirtana. After nagara sankirtana, Radhika Carana asked Narottamananda Prabhu, "Why do you go here and there collecting rice? My family has so much rice. We have many potatoes and pumpkins and everything. The mice feast on our stockpiles of rice. Just tell me how much rice you need." "For parikrama we will need to collect a total of 10, 000 kilos of rice." "That is not so much. I can arrange it all easily. I will give you everything in our storehouse, and more, if needed." When his family heard this, they thought that the sadhus had brainwashed him. Radhika Carana declared that he would give the devotees one truckload of rice, one of pumpkin, and one of potatoes. His family, however, were very strange. His father, mother and grandfather forbade him to give anything to the devotees. They said to the devotees, "Leave this village and don't come here again." Radhika Carana said to them, "You say I am your dear eldest son, and that everything that is yours is mine. But now I have no adhikara for any of our property? Alright. You keep your things and enjoy. I am not with you." And so for the first time Srila Trivikrama Maharaja felt a sense of bitterness towards his family. "They are acting against me," he felt and became sad. Srila Maharaja owned a beautiful gold watch and chain. He sold these in the market and gave all the money he got in exchange to the devotees from Navadvipa. His family found out about this and confronted the sadhus saying, "You are making our son crazy. You are taking all his money by trickery!" Srila Maharaja said, "I sold my own things for the devotees by my own desire." This further angered his family and he argued with them for a long time. From that day he realized something of the selfishness that fills this world. The so-called fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers of this material plane are very loving and affectionate if you facilitate their worldly desires. But then if you ever act in a way contrary to their bodily comfort they call you useless and see you as an enemy. Their mentality is that if you want to follow the devotees of the Lord then you are bogus and foolish. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was ready to offer the devotees all the money that was in his bank account in Kolkata, but before he could do this, his family contacted the bank and told them not to allow the withdrawal for he was too young to make such a decision. At that time he had just finished his school final, and was now about to start College. He was very sad about his families' mood toward the devotees that visited. By some means or another he acquired some profits from the family factory and gave a donation to the sadhus. He remained in contact with the sadhus as much as possible. His parents forcibly got him married, but even after marriage he did not stay in the house, saying that it was necessary to do business. He went to places like Assam and Gauhati, collected large amounts of wood and products including a sewing machine and sent it all in secret to the temple in Navadvipa, from which those devotees had come. Radhika Carana's family created more and more problems. They told him to have faith in the Rama Krsna Mission, where they shave their heads, wear sadhu's attire, but are worse sinners than Ravana. They urged him not to trust the vegetarian sadhus and to believe in the non-veg sadhus of the Rama Krsna Mission. Radhika Carana's grandfather had said that he himself would serve Srimati Radharani, and would also offer the firstborn son to the family. But Radharani and the temple in Varsana had been forgotten and all support was going to the Rama Krsna Mission. Radhika Carana was troubled by this. After a while, he was able to meet with Param Gurudeva, after which he renounced everything and came to live in the temple. He said, "These family men are so selfish. I worked hard for their benefit, but all they did is steal my blood. Then they did not let me do anything that I wished to do. Nothing they have is for sadhus. Nothing for guru; everything is only for their self-destructive motives." When Radhika Carana joined the temple, Param Gurudeva gave him the name Radhanatha dasa, and gave him all responsibility of managing the temple. Srila Gurudeva was like Param Gurudeva's darling son, while Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's role and nature was strong, unshakable, and fearless. His family came to Navadvipa and tried to force him to return. They even brought the British police and threatened Param Gurudeva and the brahmacaris in the temple. They said, "Give us back our son." "I did not ask him to come here," Param Gurudeva said. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja said, "I am here of my own will, and I will not leave." His family left his wife there, and she put her things in a room in the temple. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja stayed outside. He never spoke to her or had any dealings with her in any way. She remained in that room, not drinking or eating. One day she went to him and said, "If you do not accept me, then I will set fire to myself and give up my life." "Good," Trivikrama Maharaja said. "If you bring the kerosene, I have the matches." She tried very hard and in many ways to have him accept her. She even gave up eating. After some time, she went home. Shortly after this, she passed away. Maharaja did not care. He was happy. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was ready to fight when necessary, and he even argued at times with Param Gurudeva. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was very serious. If he did not understand or agree with something, he did not do it. My Guru Maharaja remained peaceful and silent. Whatever was going on or being said, he remained undisturbed. He was brahma-bhuta prasannatma. But everything about Radhanatha brahmacari was strong-from top to bottom. Param Gurudeva was very happy with him. It was like his own svarupa that served Prabhupada so expertly in Mayapura was manifested in the form of his disciple Sri Radhanatha Brahmacari. Param Gurudeva said, "I understand that my Guru Maharaja has very mercifully sent you to me. I was also very strong and dangerous in my days of service in Mayapura, but this was for bhajana, bhakti, and the bhaktas, not for the ordinary people." Srila Trivikrama Maharaja sternly ordered the brahmacaris to become qualified in knowledge of sastra and practical matters. "All must be qualified," he said. "All must go on pracara." He himself went all over India preaching. He challenged the misconceptions so prominent with the people in general, and the harmful philosophy of the mayavadis and sunyavadis. On one side there were these mayavadis and sunyavadis, and on the other side the Bhaktivedantas. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja taught that the meaning of vedanta is not advaita-vada, absolute monism. Wherever Param Gurudeva went for preaching, he would have Srila Trivikrama Maharaja speak first. Once in Assam, on the day of Radhastami, Param Gurudeva was holding a festival and giving class on the glories of Srimati Radharani, when the followers of Hankaradeva, who taught that Krsna should be worshiped but not Radharani, angrily dissented to the glorification of Srimati Radharani, and began throwing stones at the devotees. "Who is this Radha?" they shouted. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja shouted, "Alright, you want to throw stones? I will help you. However much you throw, I can throw more. What are your questions? What are your challenges? Let your leaders sit on the stage with me and ask all their questions." This was agreed, and when the leaders ascended the stage, Trivikrama Maharaja said to the crowd, "Now throw your stones." Srila Trivikrama Maharaja had already made sure that Param Gurudeva and the others devotees were sheltered in a safe place. It was like the incident where Param Gurudeva protected Prabhupada from the aggressors in Paramatala. In the same way, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja fearlessly risked his life and dealt with an entire group of attackers, thus protecting his Gurudeva and the devotees. The leaders asked their questions to Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. A discussion of krsna-tattva and Radha-tattva took place. Maharaja answered all their questions with many quotations from sastra. He then said, "Does your body have any blood?" "Yes," the leaders replied. "If I take away all your blood, will your body work?" "No," they said. "Similarly, Parabrahma has sakti, as the sun and the wind have sakti. Do you believe this?" "Yes," they said. "What is that sakti's form?" Maharaja asked. He then explained, "A governor, from wherever he is, gives an order and in that order is power. That order can make thousands of people act. Similarly, Krsna maintains everyone by His sakti. His sakti has form, and She is Srimati Radharani." He said:devi krsnamayi prokta radhika para-devata sarva-laksmimayi sarva- kantih sammohini para
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 4.90
[Sri Radhika is the Supreme Goddess (para-devata), the exclusive abode of Krsna's loving pastimes (Devi), and the shelter of all goddesses of fortune (Maha-Laksmi). She is the most beautiful. Her inside and outside are nothing but Krsna, and She is incessantly absorbed in Krsna. She is the embodiment of all splendor, and is the enchantress of Sri Krsna's heart.] He also quoted many other verses from sastra. Maharaja spoke on Radha tattva for three or four hours. By the end, Hankaradeva's followers were changed, and that place became favorable and a good preaching outpost for the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja was not only very strong, but also full of so much knowledge. He would ask questions during the classes of his God brothers. If he was not satisfied by the answers he would say, "Did you come to this temple simply to eat, sleep, and enjoy? You waste your time and energy, therefore, you will receive strong punishment. The svarupa-sakti that is with the sadhus is a very powerful gift. If you do not use this sakti for Krsna, you will be paralyzed. Krsna will not give you any power. Any sakti you have, use it for service, for helping others." Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was skilled in all areas of work. He knew electrical work, how to repair watches and clocks, and made clothes with his own hand. Every morning, after kirtana and class, he travelled 30 kilometers for bhiksa. He collected house to house and came back at 3 p.m., having collected some small donations, grains, vegetables, and fruits. How would he cook? In the spring season, when all the mango leaves and jackfruit leaves fell, he would gather them and pack them in bags. These leaves, as well as coconut leaves and dried cow dung, were used as fuel for the fire. When the rice was half boiled he would have it taken off the fire, saying, "It will cook automatically." He gave only one match to light the fire. If you could not light the fire with one match, he would beat you. Sometimes, he would make the brahmacaris light the fire to cook by going to a neighbor's fire with a piece of paper, and then bringing this back for their fire. He would not waste anything. You would be surprised to see this. He was knowledgeable with medicine. He would give out homeopathic medicine to the ill, for it was cheap and slow acting. He would say, "When you suffer, you can understand how much pain you have given others and you will learn not to give pain to anyone. This punishment is for your purification. Without it, you would remain proud and never change." He gave classes on the Bhagavatam and other granthas. He would explain three or four verses and then asked if the listeners had understood. If you said 'yes', he would have you stand up and repeat what he said. If you did not understand the verses, he would say that you had to learn it by tomorrow. The next day, he would remain on those verses, until everyone who came to the class understood. When anyone repeated the meanings a little wrong, he would scold them, whoever they were. He never stopped his classes. He said, "I am not speaking to cheat you. Accept my words. If you do not accept these words, then this activity is useless. If you do not memorize these things, then how will hari-katha help you?" When he would return to the temple from bhiksa, he would ring the bell on his bicycle. The temple, Sri Uddharana Gaudiya-matha, was very old and the walls that were made from small stone bricks had many holes that served as homes for mongooses, and other animals. Hearing the ringing of his bell, they would all come to him. There were mongooses, squirrels, pigeons, mice, cats, and dogs. The mongooses would climb on his body and sniff him. Maharaja would open his bag and take out the few pieces of sandesa, rasagullas, and other sweets that people gave him. He would never take these things himself. He would carry them all the way back and then give them in charity to the animals. The mongooses liked sandesa. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja fed all the eager mongooses the sandesa and they would become satisfied and leave. They did not wait for more. All knew when it was their turn. After, Srila Maharaja took some grains and seeds out for the pigeons and when they were satisfied they would go back to their nests. The mice, being afraid of the cats, would peak out of their holes momentarily and then dart back inside. Maharaja would go up to their holes and give them something also. After the mice were the cats. Maharaja would give them a little milk and rice in small bowls. Maharaja fed the dogs also. He also had cows. He had love for all beings. Srila Maharaja was very serious. If you broke any of bhakti's rules and regulations in his presence, he would be unable to tolerate it. Sometimes, in that old temple with many resident creatures, after bhoga was offered to Gaura- Nityananda, some mongooses or squirrels would steal a rasagulla or sweet. Noticing that something was missing from Thakuraji's plate, Maharaja would say, "Hey, who stole Thakuraji's bhoga?" He told the pujari, "Why were you so careless? Did you eat it?" He used to come for Vraja-mandala parikrama during Kartika. He would bring many things with him for the temple. He brought mam kocu, banana flower, coconuts, broomsticks, and other things, in small amounts. He would carry this with him all the way from Bengal, and then look to see if it was offered and properly used for service or not. He would check to see if these things were used for the service of guru and the Vaisnavas, or if they were neglected. If these things were neglected, he would become very disturbed. Service must be serious. Harinama must be chanted seriously. Do everything seriously. This is bhakti. This is bhajana. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja taught this. Sometimes, while Srila Gurudeva was giving class, Srila Trivikrama Mahaja would steal the microphone and begin to speak himself. People would be surprised and sometimes upset, saying, "We have come to hear from Gurudeva, but he is not giving Gurudeva the chance to speak." But he did this because he knew that Srila Gurudeva's health was not good, and that if he spoke too long he would become tired. He had so much love for Srila Gurudeva. Once, in 1988, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja came to Vraja-mandala parikrama. When he arrived, he saw that Srila Gurudeva was not there. He asked the brahmacaris, "Where is Maharaja? You are here eating and sleeping, and you do not even know where Maharaja is? You are that careless?" I replied that Gurudeva was in seclusion on one of the ISKCON sannyasi's property in Vrndavana, because the government was searching for him to arrest him. Gurudeva had been on an arrest list as a leading sadhu who was against the government policy. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was very angry. His strong affection for his godbrother was apparent. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja said, "Today, you must all go out and find out where Maharaja is. If you do not find him, you will not be allowed back in the temple. You are just eating and sleeping here, without any respect or love for the Vaisnavas. Everyone get out!" The brahmacaris went here and there. They found that Gurudeva had been staying at Tamala Krsna Maharaja's Gaura-Nitai House, where he was secretly translating and giving classes to some ISKCON sannyasis. A little later, however, they had taken Maharaja to Bombay when he fell ill. We reported back to Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, and he told me, "Go to Bombay at once." Srila Trivikrama Maharaja said, "Hey! Do not neglect him! Go! Arrange for his treatment." Srila Trivikrama Maharaja had somehow saved up some of his humble collection. He gave this and sent me to Bombay. When I arrived in Bombay, I learnt that Gurudeva was sick and had been admitted into the hospital. In Bombay, Srila Gurudeva underwent an operation and came back to Vraja some weeks later. When he returned to Vraja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja embraced him with tears flowing from his eyes. Outside, he was hard like a rock. But how soft his heart was! When Rupa-Sanatana Gaudiya-matha was to be constructed, Srila Gurudeva had no money, so Srila Trivikrama went to the bank and told the banker there to give him money from his former wife's account. It had been almost fifty years since his wife departed, but Maharaja went to the bank and said, "My wife has gold and money in a locker here. I have come to take it." "Your wife?" said the bankers. "You are a sadhu, a sannyasi. What do you mean 'your wife?' What evidence do you have that she is your wife?" "I said it, and that is my evidence!" Srila Trivikrama Maharaja had the bankers contact his previous family, and when they validated his claim, they opened the locker and gave him everything inside. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja brought this wealth straight to Srila Gurudeva in Mathura. Srila Gurudeva wept and said, "Aho, I was wondering how I would be able to build this temple." The gold that Srila Trivikrama Maharaja gave was sold and Rupa-Sanatana Gaudiya-matha's construction was able to start. I once accompanied Srila Trivikrama Maharaja to visit his sister. Her name is maya, and she was very broad and tall. She had her own factory in Kolkata. Maharaja said, "Calo! She will give something." Maya was very happy to see her brother, who being a sannyasi almost never visited her. She greeted him respectfully along with all her children and servants. She looked like Putana. She was dark and enormous. She gave a lot of money to Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. She came many times to Mathura, and later took harinama from Srila Gurudeva. Once, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's nephew became quite sick and was unable to give his board paper for a BSC in university. He requested that he be given permission to turn in this paper when he was well again. But the board did not allow this. Maharaja's nephew was very disturbed. He had 30 acres of land with many mango trees. He went there and hung himself from one of the trees. His father looked all over for him and could not find him for many days. Some days later, the gardener found the young man hanging in the tree being eaten by birds. When Trivikrama Maharaja heard about this, he said, "What did you expect? You never give one coin to the sadhus. Therefore, your whole family will be destroyed." I was there when he said this to his former family members. The whole family was crying and very upset. It was like he created a big scene of Mahabharata there. He spoke so strongly to them. Finally, the family agreed that if they didn't give him something, he would not leave. They said that they would all come to Vrndavana and give a donation. "No!" he exclaimed. "Give now! What will you do? Your son is dead. You are old. What will you do? Give something to the sadhus!" They gave and Maharaja brought their donation to Srila Gurudeva. Srila Gurudeva would collect everything and give it to my guru Maharaja. During Navadvipa parikrama, Srila Gurudeva would give any pranami that came to him to my guru Maharaja. The three of them had such faith, love, and attachment for each other. They were not separate from one another. Today is Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's vyasa-puja. But how is this possible? He has no disciples. He is the siksa-guru of the world. On the birthday of Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, at Devananda Gaudiya-matha, my guru Maharaja ordered the brahmacaris, "Hey! Get everything ready. Prepare the feast, program, and paraphernalia for vyasa-puja." If Trivikrama Maharaja was not there, my Guru Maharaja would send offerings to him wherever he was. My Guru Maharaja would arrange the vyasa-puja of Srila Gurudeva also. He had so much respect. If we do not learn this respect, then there can be no vyasa-puja. Now, we follow our own birthdays, but we say there is no need to follow guru and Vaisnavas. My Guru Maharaja showed all his disciples the kind of respect that we must give the Vaisnavas. In his last days, Maharaja said to me, "I have never gone to Ambika-kalna, Katva, or any of these other places for darsana. Can you arrange a way for me to go?" "What shall I arrange?" I asked. "Arrange a three-wheeler auto-rickshaw," he said. "You will go all the way to Katva in a three-wheeler?" I said. "Okay, don't worry. I will make arrangements." I arranged a TATA Sumo for him. It cost 5 lakhs in those days for a good quality one. He had a sevaka that knew how to drive. Srila Maharaja went for darsana and, to my amazement, collected bhiksa there also. He went from house to house, saying, "Hey! Give to the temple!" He went to the house of one of my godbrothers, who had two sons of ten and twelve years old. When Maharaja came, they served him by giving him a seat, doing his arati, offering puspanjali, and giving him prasadam. "Hey!" Maharaja said to the two boys, "Do you know any kirtanas?" They shook their heads no. Maharaja called their parents, "Come here." They came. "Why do you keep these two goats in your home? Why do you feed them? Kick them out or sell them in the market! They do not know any of our gaudiya bhajanas. They do not know any prayers. What kind of life is this? Wherever one goes, he should not remain silent. At the time of service, worship, and giving in charity, one must not be silent. These kirtanas and prayers should be remembered and recited. These two goats do not know Vaisnava vandana, Guru vandana, or anything. They are rascals!" Everyone in the family was scared. "Maharaja, Maharaja," they said, "They will learn. We promise. They are very busy. They go to English school-" "English school!" snapped Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. "Are they Christians?" He was further angered. "I will not eat or drink anything at your house!" he declared, and stood to leave. They caught hold of his feet and begged for forgiveness. "Maharaja," said the father, "I will teach them everything. I will teach them kirtana and Vaisnava etiquette. I promise." "Yes." said Maharaja. "Good. But I will only eat at your house when they sing our kirtanas and pray." He went to another house. A little later, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja said to me, "Buy me a small piece of land on the bank of the Ganga." "Why?" I questioned, "We have a big temple." I asked my Guru Maharaja and Srila Gurudeva what to do, and they said, "We will make two new rooms for him in the Navadvipa Temple." Srila Gurudeva made two rooms and asked Srila Trivikrama Maharaja to stay there and not look outside. Trivikrama Maharaja, however, said, "I will not go in a hodge-podge center with everyone. I am separate." At the time, I did not understand his mood. But he told me to buy the land. I somehow arranged the money in Mathura with the help of some brahmacaris and sent it to him for this purpose. With what I sent, he was able to go by airplane to the bank of the Ganga and purchase the land. No one knew why he bought the land. Once, after he had bought the small piece of land, my Guru Maharaja became sick, and Srila Trivikrama Maharaja went to check on him in the hospital. Once he came there, however, he too fell ill. Srila Gurudeva went there also to have darsana of both God brothers, and he also became sick once there. Now the three of them were in beds in the hospital. Everyone thought that the three of them would now leave the planet at the same time. They were in three different Kolkata hospitals. It seemed that they were all three going to leave. But in the end, the three of them left the Hospital well again. How close they were. My Guru Maharaja entered nitya-lila on Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's disappearance day; and Srila Gurudeva followed them both into nitya-lila on the day of my guru Maharaja's vyasa-puja. Because of this, these days will be definitely celebrated by everyone. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja entered nitya-lila in Devananda Gaudiya-matha, by the mandira, while kirtana and katha was going on. He instructed that he be put in samadhi in his own land that he purchased on the bank of the Ganga. The land we bought was adjacent to the Vedanta Samiti land where sannyasis and exalted Vaisnavas were placed in samadhi, one next to the other. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja did not want to stay in such a manner, in close quarters with all the other samadhis, so he requested a separate piece of land to be bought, and this is where he remains to this day. Now look, to this day, his samadhi temple is not complete; and also Srila Gurudeva's samadhi temple is not complete. How close their relationship is. Srila Gurudeva tried very hard to make Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's samadhi temple. He told me many times, "Make his samadhi temple like Srila Rupa Gosvami's samadhi temple in Vrndavana." Srila Gurudeva is making his own lila, because Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja's samadhi is not done. Many have neglected him, but Srila Gurudeva is not neglecting him. Srila Gurudeva's samadhi is not being made yet, because he wants that first his senior God brother has his samadhi, and then his own will be done. I have tried so hard many times, requesting that we be allowed to build on that land, and to buy it off of the present authorities in the Vedanta Samiti. I reminded them that I had bought the land for Maharaja and I even offered 10 times the present price of the land, but they refused. Now we see, that after all these years, his samadhi is not complete and it is also impossible to make anything for Srila Gurudeva also. Why? This is because of the respect these God brothers have for each other. Each of them would become so happy when the other two were properly respected and worshiped. Their friendship was very sweet. They would sit together to eat. I had the chance to serve them at such times whether it was a program in Mathura or during Vraja-mandala parikrama. Especially during parikrama, I was able to see the great love they had for one another. Now these things are only cherished in memory. But if one follows their example, their life of dedication, one can also become an asulka dasika, unpaid servant of the Guru-varga. One's life will then be free of all selfishness. No one will say, "This is not my disciple. This is not my follower. He belongs to another." These three pillars of Param Gurudeva's Samiti never thought like this. They gave us so much care. They taught us everything very seriously. They did not neglect us. Now, nobody cares for anyone. Therefore, there is no chastisement, and no punishment. All can do as they like. Everyone is careless. But in their time, the Samiti was very strong. Misbehavior was not tolerated, and everyone was protected and cared for. The society was strong. Now there are no guardians. Therefore, we are all orphans. One thing, however, is for certain. If we pray to them and if they give us their mercy, then everyone can be serious and strong. We will have desire to do bhajana. Without seriousness, bhajana is not possible. Bhajana is not so easy. -Harikatha of Premananda Prabhu, penned by Rasik Mohan das This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.